WWE canceled a massive plan for two superstars to become new D-Generation X members

Only a handful of WWE factions have had the same impact as D-Generation X on professional wrestling. Matt Hardy recently opened up about a nixed plan for The Hardy Boyz to be associated with DX during the Attitude Era.

After joining the company in 1994, it took a while for Matt and Jeff to find their footing in WWE before they emerged as a top tag team in 1999 and went on to have successful careers in multiple promotions.

Their WWE stories, however, could have been entirely different had the promotion gone ahead with the pitch for them to pledge to D-Generation X.

Matt Hardy recalled on this week's episode of his podcast that former writer Vince Russo pitched the idea for the brothers to start getting supportive of the stable on TV.

"When we first got there, when we were trying to, you know, get our feet underneath this and understand what's really going on. We obviously, for the first year, went with the flow and did whatever they asked us to do. But something they'd pitched, and it was creative, this came down from Vince Russo, where he wanted myself and Jeff to be pledges for DX. And, we were like into that," revealed the AEW star on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy. [6:17 - 6:47]

WWE decided to put Vince Russo's plans into action as Hardy Boyz appeared at ringside during DX's matches for several weeks.

While Triple H and Shawn Michaels onboarded many prominent names into their group, Matt and Jeff were initially supposed to be presented as their lackeys. The hope amongst WWE officials was for the brothers to get over and potentially become full-time members of D-Generation X.

"If you look back in 1998 when we were wearing tights, there were several times, we'd probably did it for like four or five weeks straight, where we'd come to the corner, and Jeff and I are doing this," Matt continued. "We do the DX, and we were going to pledge for DX and eventually kind of like end up being like their lackeys, to a degree and pledge with them, and then they were going to see where they went, and then maybe we could legitimately be a part of DX when all was said and done." [6:48 - 7:15]

Why did WWE cancel the plan for The Hardy Boyz to work with D-Generation X?

The Attitude Era featured a host of fascinating storylines back when WWE's popularity was at its peak. Vince Russo contributed immensely during that phase as the head writer, and it isn't surprising he was allowed to see if Hardy Boyz could be an excellent addition to D-Generation X.

Like countless angles that got discontinued within weeks, WWE pulled the plug on Vince Russo's experiment as Matt and Jeff Hardy were deemed not ready for the seemingly high-profile job.

Hardy added:

"That was an idea Russo had that he wanted to try, and DX eventually, we did it for like four or five weeks, and they said, Okay, enough of that. We're not going to do this.' You know, these guys aren't quite ready, let them do whatever, and then it was just stopped and never revisited again." [7:16 - 7:36]

What are your thoughts on Matt and Jeff Hardy as D-Generation X members? Sound off in the comments section.

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Please credit The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.